First generation (1964–1967)[edit]

The first Malibu was a top-line subseries of the mid-sized Chevrolet Chevelle from 1964 to 1972. Malibus were generally available in a full range of bodystyles including a four-door sedan, two-door Sport Coupe hardtop, convertible and two-seat station wagon. The Malibu was genuinely created and marketed for Chevrolet. Interiors were more lavish than lesser Chevelle 300 and 300 Deluxe models thanks to patterned cloth and vinyl upholstery (all-vinyl in convertibles and station wagons), deep-twist carpeting, deluxe steering wheel and other items. The Malibu SS was available only as a two-door Sport Coupe hardtop or convertible and added bucket seats, center console (with optional four-speed manual or Powerglide transmissions), engine gauges and special wheelcovers, and offered with any six-cylinder or V8 engine offered in other Chevelles - with the top option being a 300 horsepower (220 kW) 327 in 1964.

For 1965, Malibus and other Chevelles received new grilles and revised tail sections and had the exhaust pipes replaced but carried over the same basic styling and bodystyles from 1964. The Malibu and Malibu SS models continued as before with the SS featuring a blacked-out grille and special wheelcovers. Top engine option was now a 350 horsepower (260 kW)327.

1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Convertible

The Malibu SS was replaced in 1966 by a new Chevelle SS-396 series that included a big-block 396-cubic-inch (6.5 L) V8 engine, heavy duty suspension and other performance equipment. Other SS-396 equipment was similar to Malibu Sport Coupes and convertibles including an all-vinyl bench seat. Bucket seats and console with floor shift were now optional on the SS and for 1966 with the SS now denoting a car with a big-block engine, the bucket seats became a new option on the regular Malibu Sport Coupe and convertible, upon which any six-cylinder or small-block V8 could be ordered. Also new for 1966 was the Chevelle Malibu four-door Sport Sedan hardtop. Styling revisions on all 1966 Chevelles including more rounded styling similar to the full-sized Chevrolets with sail panels and tunneled rear windows featured on two-door hardtop coupes.

For 1967, the same assortment of bodystyles were continued with styling changes similar to all other Chevelles including a new grille and revised tail section with taillights that wrapped around to the side. New this year was a Chevelle Malibu Concours station wagon with simulated woodgrain exterior side panel trim. Front disc brakes were a new option along with a stereo 8-track tape player. The same assortment of drivetrains carried over from 1966 with the top 327-cubic-inch (5.4 L) V8 dropped from 350 to 325 horsepower (261 to 242 kW). It made 0- 60 in 6.2 seconds.

Malibus and all other Chevelles were completely restyled for 1968 with semi-fastback rooflines on two-door hardtops and wheelbases split to 112 inches (2,800 mm) on two-door models and 116 for four-door sedans and station wagons. Engine offerings included a new 307-cubic-inch (5.0 L) V8 rated at 200 horsepower (150 kW) that replaced the 283-cubic-inch (4.6 L) V8 that had served as the base V8 since the Chevelle's introduction in 1964. Inside was a new instrument panel featuring round gauges in square pods similar to what would appear in Camaros the following year. New for 1968 was the Concours luxury option for Malibu sedans and coupes that included upgraded cloth or vinyl bench seats, carpeted lower door panels, woodgrain trim on dash and door panels, and Concours nameplates. There was again a top-line Concours Estate wagon with simulated woodgrain trim that had the same interior and exterior appointments as the Malibu sedans.

New grilles and rear decks with revised taillights highlighted the 1969 Malibus and other Chevelles. Instrument panels were revised and front seat headrests were now standard equipment due to federal safety mandate. The ignition switch moved from the instrument panel to the steering column and also doubled as a steering wheel lock. The 307 continued as the base V8, but the 327 engines were replaced by new 350-cubic-inch (5.7 L) V8s of 255 and 300 horsepower (190 and 224 kW). GM's three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission, previously only offered on SS-396 Chevelles, was now available on all models with all engines, including the six-cylinder and small-block V8s which in previous years were only available with the two-speed Powerglide.

For 1970, the Malibu was initially the only series of Chevelle offered, aside from the SS-396 and new SS-454, as the low-line 300 and 300 Deluxe models were discontinued, which also eliminated the two-door pillared coupes from the Chevelle lineup – which were never included in the Malibu series. New grilles, rear decks with taillights moved into the bumper and revised Sport Coupe roofline highlighted this year's changes. The standard six-cylinder engine was punched up from 230-cubic-inch (3.8 L) to250-cubic-inch (4.1 L) and 155 horsepower (116 kW), while the same assortment of V8s carried over with the addition of a 330 horsepower (250 kW), 400-cubic-inch (6.6 L) V8 on non-SS Chevelles. At mid-year, the Malibu was rejoined by lower-line Chevelle models that were simply called the base Chevelle in both four-door sedans and two-door hardtops.

In 1971, Malibus and all other Chevelles got a new grille surrounded by single headlamps replacing the duals of previous years, and four round taillights similar to Camaros and Corvettes were located in the bumper. All engines were detuned to use lower-octane unleaded gasoline this year per GM corporate policy as a first step toward the catalytic converter-equipped cars planned for 1975 and later models which would require no-lead fuel.

Only new grilles highlighted the 1972 Malibu and other Chevelles. All bodystyles were carried over from 1971, but 1972 would be the final year for hardtops and convertibles as the redesigned Chevelles originally planned for this year, but delayed until 1973, would feature Colonnade styling with side pillars and frameless door windows.

Third generation (1973–1977)[edit]

The Malibu was redesigned for the 1973 model year. Models included the base Chevelle Deluxe, mid-range Malibu and the top-line Laguna.

For 1974, the Deluxe was dropped, and the Malibu became the entry-level Chevelle. The Laguna trim package was replaced with the Malibu Classic that had the unusual arrangement for that time of 4 square headlights and made its way to the dealers in the 1977 model year, offering the Chevrolet built inline six 250 CID as the base engine. The Laguna S-3 model was introduced to replace the SS, and continued through 1976.

For the 1978 model year, the Malibu name, which had been the bestselling badge in the lineup, replaced the Chevelle name. This was Chevrolet's second downsized nameplate, following the lead of the 1977 Chevrolet Caprice. The new, more efficient platform was over a foot shorter and had shed 500 to 1,000 pounds (230 to 450 kg) compared to previous versions, yet offered increased trunk space, leg room, and head room.[1] Only two trim levels were offered - Malibu and Malibu Classic. The Malibu Classic Landau series had a two-tone paint job on the upper and lower body sections, and a vinyl top.

Three bodystyles were produced (station wagon, sedan, and coupe), and the design was also used as the basis for the El Camino pickup truck with its own chassis. The sedan initially had a conservative six-window notchback roofline. This was in contrast to the unusual fastback rooflines adopted by Oldsmobile and Buick divisions which would later revert a more formal pillar style. To reduce cost, the windows in the rear doors of four-door sedans were fixed, while the wagons had small moveable vents. No doubt this design contributed to the number of factory air conditioning units sold with the cars, to the benefit of General Motors and Chevrolet dealers. For the 1981 model year, sedans adopted a four-window profile and "formal" pillared upright roofline. The two-door coupe was last produced in this year. For 1982 the Malibu was facelifted with more squared-off front styling marked by quad headlights with long, thin turn signals beneath them. The look was very reminiscent of the also recently facelifted Chevrolet Caprice. For 1983, Malibus gained a block-style "Malibu" badge on the front fenders to replace the cursive-style script located on the rear quarter panels of previous model years.

There was no factory Malibu SS option available from 1980. The SS only came in the El Camino. The very rare 1980 Malibu M80 was a dealer package for only North and South Carolina in an effort to revive the muscle car era. It was, however, mostly aimed at NASCAR fans who regularly traveled to Darlington Raceway. To this day, the number actually produced is unknown; estimates place this around 1,901 cars. All M80s had to be white with dark blue bucket seats and center console interior. The base of the M80 was a two-door sport coupe equipped with the F41 Sport Suspension package and the normal V8 (140 hp) drive train. The M80 option added two dark blue skunk stripes on top and a lower door stripe with the M80 identification. The package also added front and rear spoilers and 1981 steel rally wheels.

In Mexico, General Motors produced this generation in the Ramos Arizpe plant, which was sold during three years (1979 to '81). Mexican versions came in three trim levels (Chevelle, Malibu and Malibu Classic) and two body styles (sedan and coupe) with the 250-cubic-inch (4.1 L) I-6 as basic engine and the 350-cubic-inch (5.7 L) 260 hp (194 kW) V-8 as the optional; this engine was standard on Malibu Classic models during those three years. This was possible because the Mexican emissions regulations remained relatively free at the time.

Iraqi taxi[edit]

In 1981, General Motors of Canada in Oshawa produced a special order of 25,500 four-door Malibu sedans for Saddam Hussein's Iraqi government. The deal was reportedly worth well over $100 million to GMCL. These special-order Malibus carried the unusual combination of GM's lowest-power carburated V6, the 110 hp (82 kW) 229-cubic-inch (3.8 L) engine mated to three-speed transmission with a unique on-the-floor stick shifter. All of the cars were equipped with air conditioning, heavy duty cooling systems, AM/FM cassette decks, front bench seats, 200 km/h speedometers, tough tweed and vinyl upholstery and 14-inch (360 mm) stamped steel wheels with "baby moon" hubcaps.

However, only 13,000 units ever made it to Iraq, with the majority of the cars becoming taxis in Baghdad (once the cab-identifying orange paint was added to the front and rear fenders)[citation needed]. With the remaining balance of about 12,500 additional Malibus either sitting on a dock in Halifax or awaiting port shipment in Oshawa, where they were built, the Iraqis suddenly cancelled the order in 1982.[3] Excuses reportedly included various "quality concerns", including the inability of the local drivers to shift the finicky Saginaw manual transmission. This issue was eventually identified as being due to an apparent clutch release issue that eventually required on-site retrofitting by a crew of Canadian technicians sent to Iraq to support the infamous "Recall in the Desert". Later speculation was that the Iraqis were actually forced to back out for financial reasons, due to their escalating hostilities with Iran requiring the immediate diversion of funds to support the Iraqi war effort. Then GM of Canada President Donald Hackworth was initially quoted as stating GMCL intended to still try to sell the Malibus overseas in other Middle East markets; however in the end, the orphaned "Iraqi Taxi" Malibus were all sold to the Canadian public at the greatly reduced price of about C$6,800. Over the years, they have acquired a low-key 'celebrity' status, sometimes being colloquially referred to as "Iraqibu".[citation needed]

NASCAR[edit]

The Malibu was an extensively used body style in NASCAR competition from 1973 to 1983. The Laguna S-3 variant, in particular, was extremely successful during the 1975-77 racing seasons, allowing Cale Yarborough to win 20 races in those years as well as winning the NASCAR championship one year. As it was considered a limited edition model, NASCAR declared it ineligible for competition following the 1977 season, even though (given NASCARs three-year eligibility rule) it should have been allowed to run through 1979. Beginning in 1981, the downsized Malibu body style was eligible to run, but given its boxy shape, only one driver Dave Marcis ran it in 1981 and 1982, with one victory in a rain-shortened Richmond 400 at Richmond in 1982, the popular independent driver's last win.

Scale models[edit]

GM commissioned 1/25 scale plastic model cars of the El Camino from Model Products Corporation (MPC) as promotional merchandise. These were updated annually from 1978 to at least 1982. Kit versions of it were also made, and the tooling was later modified to an El Camino SS. Monogram also produced a 1978 El Camino in their then-usual, slightly larger 1/24 scale, as well as a 1979 police package sedan as a simplified 1/32 scale snap-together kit. Both have been reissued multiple times.

While the second generation body was widely replicated in many scales as die cast models and toys, this downsized generation was rarely represented, with Maisto producing an El Camino with quad headlights.

The 1997 to 1999 Malibus had a front grille with the Malibu logo in silver in the center; 2000 to 2003 models, and the Classic, had the blue Chevrolet emblem on the front grille. The 1997 to 1999 LS models were sometimes equipped with special gold-colored badges (the rear Malibu lettering and logo).

When a new Malibu was introduced on the Epsilon platform for 2004, the N-body Malibu was renamed Chevrolet Classic and remained in production for the 2004 and 2005 model years, being restricted to rental car companies and fleet orders.

The 3.1 L V6 was updated in 2000 with a new power rating of 170 hp (127 kW), and the 2.4 L 4-cylinder was dropped after that year. However, a 4-cylinder was reintroduced in 2004 when the 2.2 L Ecotec was offered on the Classic. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fuel mileage estimates for the 2.2 L Ecotec engine are 21 mpg-US (11 L/100 km; 25 mpg-imp)-31 mpg-US (7.6 L/100 km; 37 mpg-imp).

Malibu Cruiser[edit]

The February 2002 issue of HCI: Hot Compact & Imports magazine featured the Chevrolet Malibu Cruiser concept that GM Performance Division built for the SEMA show in 2001. The car was painted in "Sublime Lime" by BASF[6] and featured a highly modified turbocharged 3500 SFI 60-degree V-6 (producing 230 hp (170 kW) at 5,000 rpm and 280 lb·ft (380 N·m) of torque at 2,900 rpm), a 4T65-E four-speed transmission with overdrive, a set of 19x8-inch wheels by Evo wrapped in Toyo Proxes T1-S high-performance tires. Numerous interior modifications included a full-length custom center console, four black leather Sparco racing seats, and a Kenwood entertainment center (with radio, CD, DVD, TV, 10-disc changer and numerous amps and speakers). Exterior modifications included custom HID headlamps (both low and high beams), "Altezza" style taillights, and a custom bodykit.[7]

Chevrolet produced the Cruiser as a concept, and it was therefore never available for purchase. Their intent was to attract younger buyers to the stock model and demonstrate that aftermarket modifications could be made.[citation needed]

The Malibu name was moved to the new Epsilon platform based on the 2002 Opel Vectra C for 2004. The Epsilon-based Malibu came in two bodystyles, a standard 4-door sedan and a 5-door Malibu Maxxstation wagon. The Maxx was advertised as a "five-door extended sedan", designed to have the utility but not the stigma of station wagons, and it was the first mid-size Chevrolet hatchback since the 1980s.[9][10]

Base power came from a 2.2 L Ecotec L61I4 producing 144 hp (108 kW). LS and LT trims originally had a 3.5 L 201 hp (149 kW) High Value LX9V6 while both sedan and Maxx SS models were powered by the 3.9 L 240 hp (179 kW) High Value LZ9 V6.[11] For 2007, the LX9 was replaced with the LZ4 V6, which in the Malibu produced 217 hp (162 kW). The L61 Ecotec was also updated for the 2007 model year with many improvements. A remote starter was also available, which was introduced on several other GM vehicles for 2004.

2007 Chevrolet Malibu LT sedan

This generation of the Malibu initially debuted with a front fascia design featuring a wide grille split horizontally by a prominent chrome bar that ran the entire width of the car, which was intended to make it resemble Chevrolet's trucks. However, for 2006, the front end was updated with more conventional styling: the chrome bar was removed, and the grille itself was made smaller, bearing a resemblance to the grille on the previous Malibu.[12] The car also added GM badges near the front doors.

The Malibu Maxx was discontinued for 2008. However, the Malibu sedans remained in production for fleet orders for the 2008 model year. GM refers to these models as the Chevrolet Malibu Classic. The cars themselves bear Malibu badges, unlike the past generation Classic. In 2006, "HIT WITH the ugly stick," Motor Trend blogs editor-in-chief Angus MacKenzie said of the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu: "The Chevy Malibu – fundamentally the same car [as the Opel Vectra] – had all the sex appeal of a wet Tuesday afternoon in Cleveland."[13]

The Malibu was redesigned for the 2008 model year by Bryan Nesbitt,[15] under the direction of GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz — who was determined to make the nameplate competitive with Japanese mid-size cars. Extensive engineering and design went into the remodel.[16]

The seventh generation Malibu is built on a revised version of the long-wheelbaseEpsilon platform shared with the Saturn Aura, the Opel Signum, and Pontiac G6. It is assembled in Kansas City, Kansas. Overall, it is three inches (76 mm) longer, with a six inches (152 mm) longer wheelbase. Interior room remains mid-size, like the previous Malibus, and has been decreased from 101 cubic feet (2.9 m3) to 97.7 cubic feet (2.8 m3), despite having a longer wheelbase, although front legroom has increased from 41.9 in (1,064 mm) to 42.2 in (1,072 mm).[11][17] Rear legroom has decreased from 38.5 in (978 mm) to 37.6 in (955 mm).[18] The interior design has also been completely reworked, with a selection of two-tone color combinations (brick and tan two-tone), telescoping steering wheel, higher-quality materials and a twin-cowl dash design.[19] Drag (Cd) is at 0.33.[20]

Powertrain[edit]

The seventh generation Malibu offered these engine choices:

Years

Disp.

Series

HP

Torque (Lb-ft)

Description

Transmission

EPA City

EPA Hwy

2008–2010

2.4 L

LE5

169

162

Ecotec inline-4

4-speed automatic

22

30

2008–2012

2.4 L

LE5

169

162

Ecotec inline-4

6-speed automatic

22

33

2008–2009

2.4 L

LAT

164

159

Ecotec Hybrid inline-4

4-speed automatic

26

34

2008–2010

3.5 L

LZ4

217

214

High Value V6

4-speed automatic

19

29

2008–2012

3.6 L

LY7

252

251

High Feature V6

6-speed automatic

17

26

The 2.4 L I4 and 3.6 L V6 engine have aluminum blocks and heads, dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, twin balance shafts, and variable valve timing. The 3.5 L V6 has aluminum heads, an iron block, overhead valves, and limited variable valve timing. The 3.5 L V6 was offered as an upgrade for special-order fleet vehicles, to replace the Ecotec engine, and generally was not available for retail customers. The 3.5 L V6 was not available in the LTZ. The 3.5 L V6 with four-speed transmission has been the only drivetrain available in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 models in Israel. Partway through the 2008 model year, the 2.4 L Ecotec was offered with a six-speed automatic transmission to improve performance and fuel economy.[19]

For 2009 models, the six-speed transmission mated to the 2.4 L 4-cylinder engine or the 217 horsepower 3.5 L V6 mated to the four-speed automatic were made available on the 1LT; the six-speed is now standard on 2LT models. LS models were equipped with the four-speed transmission only. A manual transmission is not offered.[21] All models are front-wheel-drive sedans, as Chevrolet dropped the Malibu MAXX station wagon model.

Partway through the 2010 model year, the GM badges were removed from the front doors.[22][23]

Reception[edit]

The 2008 Malibu has received critical praise from the automotive press, with The New York Times referring to it as being "like a super Accord, but from GM" and Car and Driver magazine declaring, "Camry, Beware." It also garnered high praise from Motor Trend magazine, being rated higher than the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima in the magazine's 2008 Car of The Year competition. Kelley Blue Book named it the "2008 best redesigned vehicle".[27] Car and Driver stated that while it would not be "enough to steal the top-dog sales title from the perennial Honda and Toyota mid-sizers", they noted "for the first time since Chevrolet revived the storied nameplate in 1997, it has enough of what it needs to sell in significant numbers to the public, not just rental fleets".[28]

Chevrolet Malibu interior

Edmunds.com has praised the Malibu's interior and exterior styling, quietness, and balance between ride and handling, while criticizing the thick C-pillars that obstruct the driver's view, the narrower chassis compared to other midsize cars[29] (which reduces rear seating room and also lacks a center armrest) and lack of features such as dual-zone HVAC, Bluetooth compatibility, and keyless ignition.[30]

While related platform-mate Saturn Aura was criticized particularly for using cheap interior materials (long considered by critics as a problem area on many GM cars), this seemed to be improved in the Malibu.[31][32] Writers of various reviews for the 2008 Malibu believe Chevrolet may finally be getting back on track in quality and excitement in the mid-size segment after a history of ordinary, bland offerings, such as the Celebrity, Corsica, Lumina, and even the previous two generations of Malibu since its 1997 revival.

In January 2008, the new Malibu received the North American Car of the Year award at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in voting among a panel of 50 automotive journalists in a field of entries, with the runners up being the 2008 Cadillac CTS and the 2008 Honda Accord. The Malibu's win marks the second straight year a car built on GM's Epsilon platform has won the North American COTY award with the 2007 North American COTY award having gone to the 2007 Saturn Aura.

Initial sales results have been positive, with the Malibu joining the Cadillac CTS and Buick Enclave on a list of GM vehicles whose sales have exceeded expectations. The redesigned Malibu sold more than 50% more units in 2008 than in 2007, increasing GM's mid-size market share to 8.4% from 5.7%, while the Camry and Accord percentages remained flat at about 21% and 17.5%, according to GM. Sales to rental customers dropped to 27% of the total, as GM limited sales to rental fleets.[16][33]

The short-lived Malibu Hybrid, along with its sister, the Saturn Aura Green Line, which share the powertrain and other major components, was particularly criticized due to its lack of fuel savings and cost (relative to a standard 4-cylinder Malibu), plus the Hybrid's worsened driving dynamics.[26][34]

This generation of Malibu came in many trim levels: the Base (2008 only) (1SB), the LS 1LS (or 1FL for fleet models 2011 and 2012), the LT 1LT (or 2FL for fleet models 2011 and 2012), the Hybrid (2008 and 2009 only), and the LTZ 1LZ.

In 2011, the base LS 1LS Malibu gained more standard features, like Bluetooth technology with stereo audio playback capability, a remote USB and iPod/iPhone port, remote start, a security alarm, an upgraded OnStar system, power front driver's seat, chrome hubcap wheel covers, body-colored side mirrors with power adjustments and body-colored accents, a single wood dashboard accent, tinted windows, and a six-speed automatic transmission with overdrive and manual shift capabilities. This also raised the base price or MSRP up to about $22,000.00, before factory and dealer rebates. The LT 1LT model lost its available eight-speaker Bose premium sound system. The LT 2LT got a package that included a sunroof, leather power heated seats, and more convenience and comfort features.

Recall[edit]

On September 21, 2012. General Motors recalled 473,841 vehicles involving the Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura from model years 2007 through 2010 equipped with four-speed automatic transmissions. The problem is a condition that could make cars roll when in park. The recall affects 426,240 in the United States, 40,029 in Canada and 7,572 in other markets.[35]

The models for the all-new 2013 Malibu are the LS 1LS (not available for fleet-ordered models), the LT 1LT (this is the base model for fleet-ordered models), the LT 2LT, the ECO 1SB, the ECO 2SA, and the LTZ 1LZ. Both ECO models officially went on sale in the spring of 2012, with the gas-only models following in late summer 2012. The Turbo models followed in early 2013

Even the basic LS 1LS Malibu comes with features such as seventeen-inch alloy wheels and BSW tires, six speakers, an A/M-F/M stereo with single-disc CD/MP3 player, iPod/USB, and auxiliary input jacks, and Bluetooth with hands-free streaming of audio from compatible devices, OnStar, SIRIUS-XM Satellite Radio, power front driver's seat, wood interior trim, and a 2.4 L inline four-cylinder (I4) engine put through a six-speed sport automatic transmission with manual shiftability.

All models aside from the LS 1LS include a large touch-screen display using Chevrolet's MyLink System and offering Pandora Internet Radio playback capabilities via a USB cable and an iPhone 4, 4S, or 5. SIRIUS-XM Travel Link is also included on all navigation-equipped Malibus.

The European version is offered with a 2.4 L Ecotec engine, which uses an aluminum block and cylinder head and a 2.0 L Diesel (1,956 cc) VCDi developing 160 PS (120 kW) (this is the only engine available in Italy).[42][43]

The Middle-East version is offered with the 2.4 L Ecotec engine. There is also a 3.0 L V6 engine making 260 hp and 290NM, available on LTZ trim.[44]

Australian market has two versions on offer: CD (2.4 L Otto) and CDX (2.0 L Diesel)[45]

Safety[edit]

Standard safety features on the Malibu include dual-stage front airbags for the driver and front passenger, along with pelvic/thorax side-impact and knee airbags up front also. Roof rail airbags with rollover protection will also be standard. Also available as option extras are second-row head/thorax side-impact airbags, lane departure warning system with forward collision alert and a rearview camera system.[46]

Markets[edit]

The Malibu is available in "nearly 100 countries on six continents". In the United States, it is manufactured in two plants, Fairfax, KS and Detroit-Hamtramck.[47] In Australia, the Malibu replaced the Holden Epica, and made its debut in 2013 as the Holden Malibu. It is slotted between the Holden Cruze and Holden Commodore.[48] In South Korea, the Malibu replaces the Daewoo Tosca, as GM has phased-out the Daewoo brand in favor of Chevrolet. Korea was the first market to get the Malibu, in late 2011, followed by China later in 2011 and North America beginning in early 2012.[49] The Malibu made its Middle Eastern debut in 2012 replacing the Holden VE Commodore based Lumina.

Reception[edit]

In a March 2012 comparison test by Car and Driver, the “light electrification" Chevrolet Malibu Eco hybrid came in sixth place out of six cars.[50] It should be noted that the Eco is not a Malibu LS, LT, or LTZ. The Malibu Eco was criticized for its reduced wheelbase, causing a 0.8" reduction in legroom for back seat passengers. The interior was also criticized for being disappointing and cramped. The ride, however, was said to be smooth and quiet, with the only problem being the stiff steering.[51]

Refresh[edit]

2014 Chevrolet Malibu

18 months after the 2013 Malibu's debut, it received a mild refresh. It has a new fascia to more closely match the refreshed Chevrolet Traverse and the newly redesigned Chevrolet Impala. It also received a fresh interior, but stays on its current platform. The 2014 Malibu was available for purchase in late 2013. .[52] Chevrolet made some minor changes to the center console to deliver a longer, ostensibly more comfortable armrest, and it also replaced the former covered storage area with a pair of cup holders and two cell-phone bins.[53] For the first time in a non-hybrid GM vehicle, an engine stop/start system will be standard with the 2.5-liter engine. Chevrolet expects the EPA fuel-economy estimates to come in at 23/35 mpg city/highway, up slightly from the 2013 model’s 22/34.[54]